Simulated candle device and package



July 19, 1960 E, M sxRE SIMULATED CANDLE DEVICE AND PACKAGE Filed Dec. 22, 1959 INVENTOE gdk/M /77 fdfyvf 2 Arrop/vay fuse;

United States PatentV O snvnJLATED lCANDLE DEVICE AND PACKAG Edouard M. Sire, 461 Sixth Ave., New York, N.Y. Filed Dee. 2z, 1959, ser. N0. 861,358

1 claims. (ci. zus- 1.5)

This invention relates to packages and more particularly to a simulated candle device which may incorporate a music box.

The invention comprises a package which has the appearance of a large candle. A burnable wick or fuse is provided. The candle body actually comprises an outer cap which encloses an inner transparent cylinder and a base. An article, such as a bottle of perfume or any other desired article is disposed within the inner cylinder. A spring, controlled by the wick or fuse, is disposed between the cap and the inner cylinder. When the fuse is burned, the cap ies away from the base, exposing the desired article. At the same time, the music box will begin to play.

The device is not dangerous to use and the article itself is not ejected or disturbed. This is of importance since it permits the use of a glass container or the like. Furtheigthe spring is of special formation, it being long to insure forceful and complete ejection of the cap while nevertheless telescoping into a minimum area when compressed.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the completely assembled device;

Figure 2 is a similar view with the outer cap removed or ejected, the perspective view being shown to illustrate details although the device will normally rest atly on a table or other support;

Figure 3 is a similar view of the actuating spring; Figure 4'is a similar view of the burnable wick or Figure 5 isa longitudinal axial view partly in section, of the composite device; and

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

The outer cap 10 is provided with a roof 11. The cap 10 may be of decorated cardboard, plastic or the like while the roof 11 is more rigid and is preferably formed of non-inammable material such as metal.

The cap encloses a transparent cylinder 12 which is mounted upon and embraces a base 13, the lower portion or skirt of the cap 10 completely covering the base including the shoulder 13a of the base. `Cylinder 12 rests upon shoulder 13a. Cylinder 12 is provided with a metal or other sturdy roof 14, the sides of the roof 14 being connected to the cylinder as by adhesive 15. A lug or hook 16 is xedly mounted as by being soldered to the center of roof 14. However, it might obviously be integral therewith as by being struck out and bent up therefrom. The bottom end of cylinder 12 is open and it loosely embraces the neck of base 13.

Base 13 comprises a Wooden platform 17 upon which is mounted a Swiss type music box 18 the mechanism of which has been partially illustrated in Figure 6 but which is conventional as will be well understood. Insofar as the present application is concerned, the m'usic box 18 includes a conventional governor shaft upon which is mounted the governor 19 which takes the form of a rotating propeller as is well understood. When theA rotation of propeller or governor 19 is interrupted, the music box stops playing. Accordingly, the governor may serve as a switch element, as is conventional. The spring housing 20 is wound up by means of the removable key 21 as is Well understood.

Mounted upon platform 17 is la plastic shell 22 which encloses the spring box mechanism and also provides a oor 23 upon which may rest the contents 24 which may be a bottle of perfume, a small bottle of whiskey, a piece of jewelry or indeed any novelty.

Shell 22 is formed with an opening 25 through which projects leaf spring 26 the base of which is connected to platform 17 as is conventional in music box mechanisms. Figure 6 shows the normal position of the leaf spring 26 in broken lines. Arrow 27 shows how the leaf spring 26 may be actuated somewhat in a horizontal direction so that its upper end will make contact with the propeller 19 and interrupt the operation of the muisc box.

When the cap 10 is in normal position over the cylinder 12, the lower end of cap 10 urges spring 26 inwardly and prevents operation of the music box.

As above stated, cylinder 12 loosely embraces the neck of base 13. The reason therefore is to permit access to the bottle 24 when desired. However, it is necessary to connect the base 13 to the cylinder 12 as otherwise the parts would become disassembled. Accordingly, shell 22 is formed With two openings 30 which are opposed. Anl arcuate Wire 31 having hooked inner ends is removably sprung in openings 30. This will maintain the base 13 connected to the cylinder 12 but will enable easy removal thereof when desired.

The ejecting action is provided by elongated coil spring 32. The normal length of coil spring 32 is at least equal to that of cap 10. Coil spring 32 has coils of decreasing diameter, its top coil 33 being substantially the same as the inner diameter of cap 10 While its bottom coil 34 is of substantially less diameter. Accordingly, when the spring 32 is completely compressed as illustrated in Figure 5, it is at, the coils thereof being spiral in the same plane. This not only conserves space but provides more spring action. p

Assuming that the cylinder 12 has been assembled with the base 13, the bottle 24 being enclosed, the assembly is completed by depositing spring 32 within cap 10, the top coil 33 being against the underside of roof 11. The cap is then deposited over the cylinder 12, the bottom coil 33 of the spring pressing against the roof 14. The spring will then become completely flat as illustrated in Figure 5. At the same time, the lower skirt of cap 10 will press inwardly upon leaf spring 26 so that the music box cannot operate. The platform 17 is then pushed manually inwardly against the action of spring 32, until hook or lug 16 is accessible through the central hole of cap roof 11. At this time, the burnable wick or fuse 35 is deposited'in place so that it is engaged by the hook 16 and serves as a holder for the assembled device.

Fuse 35 is of cellulose acetate material of about .030 thick. In a satisfactory embodiment, it was about 3M" long. It is formed with shoulders 36 and a lower projection 37 in which hole 38 is formed, the hole being essentially lower than the shoulders 36. When hole 38 is placed -around hook 16, manual pressure is released from platform 17. The spring will then tend to pull fuse 35 downwardly so that its shoulders 36 iirmly contact roof 11 as illustrated in Figure 5. The assembly of the device is now complete.

Before being used, the music box 18 Will, of course, be wound up. Since spring 26 is held inwardly, it will not operate. Now, a match is applied to fuse 35. Cellulose acetate burns slowly and the fuse will burn down until it approaches the shoulders 36. However, it will not burn down to the shoulders because, by that time, the fuse has become melted and softened and it will be pulled through the central hole of roof 11. Any ame will now be extingu-ished as the fuse is pulled through the hole while of course, the cap lil is then forcibly ejected into the air as the spring 32 decompresses. As a result, the decorated cap 22 and the enclosed spring 32 fly bodily outwardly so as to expose the cylinder 12 and its contents while, at the same time, the music box will play a tune. This tune may be appropriate to the occasion such as "Happy Birthday to You or lingle Bells.

The contents may be removed as above described. On the other hand, the entire device may be simply reloaded by reassembling the cap lil on the cylinderv 12 and employing a new fuse 35.

It is important that the diameter of the inner cylinder 12 approaches the inner diameter of cap 10 so that the cap is guided upwardly as it is ejected.

There has been shown what is now considered a preferred embodiment of the invention but it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing from its spirit.

What is claimed is: l

1. A novelty package device comprising a base, a hollow cylinder removably mounted on said base, an elongated outer cap covering said hollow cylinder, said cylinder and said cap each having a roof, a compression spring normally maintained in compressed form between the said roofs, a lug extending upwardly from said cylinder roof, and a holder connected to said lug and extending outwardly of said cap roof and holding said roofs adjacent to each other against the action of said spring whereby when said holder is incapacitated, said cap will ily away from said cylinder under the action of said s ,ring becoming decompressed.

2. A device according to claim l and wherein said holder is of heat fusible material, the application of lire to said holder causing it to burn and at least partially melt.

3. A holder according to claim 2 wherein said cylinder roof is of metal and said lug comprises a metal hook solidly secured to said cylinder roof, said holder being of burnable plastic material and being formed with a neck and a hole therein to receive said hook, said cap roof being formed with a central opening through which said hook and neck extend, anda shoulder formed on said holder and normally resting on the outer surface of said cap roof.

4. A device according to claim 3 and including a music box disposed in said base, said music box comprising a spring drive motor and a rotatable driven member controlling the operation of said motor, and a leaf spring extending outwardly of said base and adapted to contact said rotatable driven member, said cap having the skirt thereof normally pressing against said leaf spring so as to cause it to bear against said rotatable driven member and prevent operation of said motor.

v5.. A. device according to claim 3 and including a removable wire connecting to hollow cylinder to said base, whereby said cylinder may be removed therefrom to install or remove an article disposed on said base.

6. A novelty package device comprising a base, a music box disposed in said base, said music box including a spring drive motor and a rotatable driven member controlling the operation of said motor, and a leaf spring extending outwardly of said base and adapted to contact said rotatable driven member, a cap resting upon and extending upwardly from said base, compression spring means tending to separate said cap from said base, and hook means holding said cap and base together whereby, upon release of said hook means, said cap will Hy away bodily from said base, said cap having its lower skirt normally pressing against said leaf spring so as to interrupt rotation of said rotatable driven member whereby said motor will begin operation when said cap iiies away from said base.

7. A novelty package device comprising a base, a hollow cylinder removably mounted on said base, an elongated outer cap covering said hollow cylinder, said cylinder and said cap each having a roof, a compression spring normally maintained in compressed form between the said roofs, a lug extending upwardly from said cylinder roof, and a holder connected to said lug and extending outwardly of said cap roof and holding said roofs adjacent to each other against the action of said spring whereby when said holder is incapacitated, said cap will ily away from said cylinder under the action of said spring becoming decompressed, said spring being of coil form and of a normal length at least substantially equal to the length of said cap and having its coils of gradually increasing diameter from the bottom toward the top thereof.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,676,137 Dodge July 3, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 804,770 Great Britain Nov. 19, 1958 

